I read something moving this afternoon. Newsweek published an interview that they did with Mariane Pearl, the wife of journalist Daniel Pearl. And in it they asked her about fighting terrorism. I don't have any great claim to right answers in international politics, but I do feel like her answer was profound...
"Terrorism is a psychological weapon, even though it uses physical means. It stops you from claiming the world as your own. It stops you from relating to other people. It creates fear and hatred. The only way to fight terrorists, as a citizen, is to deny them those emotions. That is the only thing terrorists don't expect. Everything else they expect: retaliation, bombing, attacks. All of that is exactly what they want. Deny them fear, and they lose". The journalist interviewing her responded that her answer was a very "noble reaction to terrorism, especially considering what happened to you" and she returned "I'm not saying this because I'm a nice person. It's not forgiveness that motivates me. It's revenge. Terrorists expect retaliation. It's very easy to want to hurt someone who has hurt you. The one thing they're not expecting is my happiness. That's true revenge. And when I see Adam, and I see how happy he is, I think, "I'm winning."
She lived through this great tragedy and decided not to blame an entire population for what happened to her husband. Her "revenge" is to be happy and raise a happy son. Here is a woman who has risen above her circumstances to choose her own way. It was Victor Frankel who said "the one thing you can't take away from me is the way I choose to respond to what you do to me. The last of one's freedoms is to choose ones attitude in any given circumstance."
If the world were full of people with this attitude and belief it would be a different place. For now this is one of the qualities I am going to add to my list of things to become. A woman who chooses her own attitude in any given circumstance.
For the interview go to http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19265190/site/newsweek/
2 comments:
You are a great example to me. Not only in your written word, and how smoothly your thoughts are written down, but it everything you do. You have a lot going on in your life right now...building a new house, moving from an old house, 3 kids, church callings, etc., etc. But you somehow make time to sit down and write these little pieces of peace in this journal. I really look up to you, admire you, and love you!!
Jenn, very thought provoking post. It amazes me the spirit of some women and there ability to face opposition and tragedy in such a horrible way, yet come out working to rebuild their life, and show others that they can be strong. Thanks for sharing this interview. Laura popped by my blog and I in turn after viewing hers noticed yours. I hope you remember me! Hope to stop by often.
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